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Start by trying to identify some foods that are clearly good for you and increase how much you eat them. EX, oatmeal - fantastic food, almost universally agreed

Start by trying to identify some foods that are clearly good for you and increase how much you eat them. EX, oatmeal - fantastic food, almost universally agreed to be healthy, and has no real potential downsides. Then find foods that are clearly bad for you and decrease how much you eat them. EX, Coca-Cola - pretty much no micronutritional value, all you're getting is sugars and bad stuff. That's the way forwards. There's some disagreement on certain places, but definitely increase clearly good foods while reducing clearly bad foods, and that'll be a good start.

thesnark 16y ago
I would just like to point out that oatmeal has a glycemic index of about 50 (out of 100). That's for plain oatmeal with nothing added, not the instant stuff or the sugar laden version most people end up with.
- lionhearted 16y ago
  Ah yes, use whole oatmeal instead of instant oatmeal - it actually doesn't take much longer to cook. Definitely stay away from the sugary junk. The real advantage to oatmeal is that the fiber is quite high - this has many advantages, a big one being that you'll feel full and satisfied for the first part of the day. Also, 300 calories of oatmeal is 56 grams of carbohydrates, but only 1 gram of sugar [1]. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I think oatmeal is pretty much all glucose-based carbs and fiber, which is the healthier form of carbohydrate. (Fructose/sucrose/sugars being the worse form) [1] http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1597/2 http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1597/2
  - chipsy 16y ago
    The ratio of fiber/sugar is high, but by any other index(fiber/total carbs or fiber/calories) it's terrible. (doesn't stop me from having it on rare occasions though) A complete picture of the benefits and drawbacks of oatmeal, like any other food, has to acknowledge that: -It's carb-heavy -The carbs are from grain and thus glutenous -Total nutrition is low(compared to say, an avocado)

thesnark 16y ago

I would just like to point out that oatmeal has a glycemic index of about 50 (out of 100). That's for plain oatmeal with nothing added, not the instant stuff or the sugar laden version most people end up with.

lionhearted 16y ago
Ah yes, use whole oatmeal instead of instant oatmeal - it actually doesn't take much longer to cook. Definitely stay away from the sugary junk. The real advantage to oatmeal is that the fiber is quite high - this has many advantages, a big one being that you'll feel full and satisfied for the first part of the day. Also, 300 calories of oatmeal is 56 grams of carbohydrates, but only 1 gram of sugar [1]. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I think oatmeal is pretty much all glucose-based carbs and fiber, which is the healthier form of carbohydrate. (Fructose/sucrose/sugars being the worse form) [1] http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1597/2 http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/1597/2
- chipsy 16y ago
  The ratio of fiber/sugar is high, but by any other index(fiber/total carbs or fiber/calories) it's terrible. (doesn't stop me from having it on rare occasions though) A complete picture of the benefits and drawbacks of oatmeal, like any other food, has to acknowledge that: -It's carb-heavy -The carbs are from grain and thus glutenous -Total nutrition is low(compared to say, an avocado)